Barcelona trolled Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after beating Manchester United (Picture: Getty)
Barcelona‘s official account poked fun at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the club booked their place in the Champions League semi-finals with a comfortable 4-0 aggregate victory over Manchester United.
The Red Devils, trailing 1-0 from the first leg, showed glimpses of promise in the opening stages at the Nou Camp before Lionel Messi took the tie by the scruff of the neck with a quickfire brace inside 20 minutes.
Philippe Coutinho’s audacious long-range strike in the 61st minute put Ernesto Valverde’s men out of sight and they joined Ajax in the final four of the competition after the latter defeated Juventus in Tuesday night’s other clash.
Solskjaer sparked life back into United when he took over the reins from Jose Mourinho back in December – but, following their stunning comeback win over PSG in the last-16, the picture hasn’t looked quite so rosy for the Red Devils.
The club have lost five of their last seven games in all competitions and calls of ‘Ole’s at the wheel’ have been few and far between ever since Solskjaer was appointed permanent manager at the end of March.
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Barcelona even used the phrase to mock the Norwegian in the aftermath of their quarter-final win.
‘Messi at the wheel #WeColorFootball,’ Barca’s official account tweeted after the final whistle.
Messi at the wheel🔵🔴 #WeColorFootball pic.twitter.com/KgDX7oAa37
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 16, 2019
Solskjaer admitted Barcelona ‘were a couple of levels’ above his sides across the two legs of the quarter-final.
‘I have to say Lionel Messi is top quality and he was the difference of course. At 2-0 straight after it was game over,’ he told BT Sport.
‘He’s different class, he and Cristiano Ronaldo are the best players of the last decade, everyone agrees on that one. Messi showed his quality.
‘We have to aspire to get to that level of Barcelona, we can get there but we have loads of work to do. If we want to get back to Man Utd’s true level, true traditions, we have to challenge Barcelona.
‘They were a couple of levels above over the two games. We want to play these games again next year so we have a massive week coming up. There is no point dwelling on what could have been, we have to focus on that week.’
Coutinho scored a magnificent goal to kill of United (Picture: Getty)
Jesse Lingard claimed Messi brought his ‘A-game’ to destroy United’s Champions League hopes in the second leg.
‘You can’t make errors in these games,’ the England international told BT Sport.
‘We dominated for the first 15 minutes, we had chances and the game could have been different.
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‘Lionel Messi brought his A-game tonight, he’s one of the best in the world. All we can do is move on, it’s a big week ahead.
‘We were always underdogs but we had to back ourselves and believe. Chances in these big games are massive.’
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Andy Cole reacts to Manchester United’s Champions League draw (Picture: BT Sport)
Andy Cole has explained his reaction after Manchester United were drawn to face Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side stunned French champions PSG last month to reach the last-eight, but their task in Europe has not been made any easier as they were drawn against Barca.
Club legend Cole was United’s ambassador at the draw in Nyon and was seen facepalming when he discovered his former side would be taking on Barcelona.
Reflecting on the draw, Cole – who won five Premier League titles and the Champions League at Old Trafford – told The Sun: ‘I said to one of the lads, “We’re going to get Barcelona”.
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Andy Cole’s face when he realises Man Utd have got Barca 😂 pic.twitter.com/Ir7tsvlANH
— Jack Beesley (@BeezerJack07) March 15, 2019
‘It’s a strange thing, it’s fate, it’s 20 years on, and we get Barcelona. I knew it. But anything is possible in football matches.
‘United have proven that against PSG and, yes, they are going to have to play extremely well because Barcelona have that impish genius Messi.
‘I think he gets better as he gets older. If he has an off night or is injured, you never know what can happen.
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‘You can’t keep a player like that quiet. If he wants to turn up, he will turn up. If he doesn’t want to turn up, he will still turn up. He’s that good.’
Solskjaer, appointed Manchester United permanent manager last month, scored his legendary winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final at the Nou Camp.
And, speaking to United’s official website after the draw, he said: ‘Yes, it had to be [Barcelona]!
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‘I’ve had so many texts from friends saying this year is going to be the year that we’ll get through because of my number, 20, and it being 20 years ago.
‘We’re off to the Nou Camp again!’
Manchester United face Barcelona at Old Trafford in the first leg of the quarter-final clash on Wednesday evening.
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Manchester United face Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals (Picture: Getty)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Manchester United ‘can go all the way’ in the Champions League after drawing European giants Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
The Red Devils produced a remarkable comeback victory over PSG earlier in the month to reach the last-eight of the competition.
In the last-16 stage, Barcelona proved too strong for Lyon, defeating the Ligue 1 club 5-1 on aggregate.
The draw sees Solskjaer return to the Nou Camp 20 years on from his iconic winning goal in the same stadium during the 1999 Champions League final.
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If United beat Barcelona, they will face Liverpool in the semi-finals if Jurgen Klopp’s side see off Porto in the last-eight.
‘I think we’ve shown against Paris St-Germain that on any given day we can beat a top team,’ said United caretaker boss Solskjaer.
‘Any team can beat anyone of the eight. There’s still top, top quality. Of course, with Cristiano [Ronaldo] still in it I don’t think it’s opened up that much.
‘There are so many variables and these games will be decided by margins.
Four Premier League teams are still in the Champions League (Picture: Getty)
‘Of course that VAR, even though for me it’s a penalty, you can still be unlucky and not get it in the last minute and then we’d be out and no one would really remember the PSG performance.
‘I believe that you get what you deserve in life, in sports. If you put the work in, if you work hard, show the right attitude, if you go in every single day and do the right things you can maximise your chances.
‘So yes, we can go all the way but you’ve got to be lucky and good along the way.’
Solskjaer has also responded to Manchester United’s reported interest in Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale.
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The Wales star is said to be frustrated at the Bernabeu and United are one of a number of clubs who have expressed interest in securing his signature this summer.
‘I can’t really comment on Gareth Bale or specific names because they’re property of other clubs,’ added Solskjaer.
‘But we should look for quality players, definitely, and players who could improve us as a team.’
Manchester United face Wolves in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday evening.
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